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Rabbit Hood
Rabbit Hood is a 1949 Merrie Melodies cartoon directed by Chuck Jones. Title The title is a parody of Robin Hood. Plot The Sheriff of Nottingham catches Bugs eating the King's carrots and is about to arrest him, when Little John shows up and tells them that Robin Hood is on his way. "The real" Robin Hood finally appears in a clip from the classic 1938 movie, The Adventures of Robin Hood, which starred Errol Flynn. Animation Breakdown The film starts out with a lengthy sequence animated by Phil Monroe where Bugs tries to silence an alarmed carrot patch. Monroe did the scenes up to where the Sheriff is lying on the ground with little kings spinning around his head. Ken Harris handles the next short bit where Bugs is standing examining a wall and musing how he might get out. He is interrupted by the Sheriff who chases him. Ben Washam animates the entire section where Bugs and the Sheriff are in the Royal Rose garden and Bugs turns the whole situation around and acts like a real estate agent. Washam's scenes continue to the point where Bugs is climbing the same brick wall that we saw him musing over before. The sheriff, who we see in the distance brandishing a bow and arrow, shoots Bugs down by grazing him. Bugs falls into Little John's arms (he was introduced ignominiously in the first part of the film) in a Ken Harris scene. Phil Monroe animated the introduction sequence between Little John and the Sheriff. Lloyd Vaughan handles the next sequence, a protracted one in which Bugs laboriously heralds the arrival of an unseen king. The Sheriff knows it's probably a trick but because Bugs is so insistent he almost challenges Bugs to prove his assertions. Ken Harris animates Bugs Bunny emerging in royal garb, bedecked with a crown and holding a sceptre, much to the surprise of the Sheriff, who bows down to him, and the knighting speech above. Harris' animation continues as the Sheriff sings "London bridge is falling down" while he's staggering in a stupor. Lloyd Vaughan does the cake baking sequence, then it's back to Ken Harris as Bugs positions the cake so the Sheriff's face will fall into it when he collapses. Harris continues with Bugs' head nod and a lovely acting scene where he makes fun of Little John continually talking about Robin Hood's arrival. Ben Washam animates the close-up of Little John and Bugs' take when he sees the live-action Errol Flynn from The Adventures of Robin Hood. The cartoon finishes off with Ken Harris animating Bugs saying, "Nah, that's silly. It couldn't be him." Availability * LaserDisc - Bugs Bunny: Winner by a Hare: 14 of Bugs Bunny's Best * Blu-ray, DVD - The Adventures of Robin Hood (DVD: unrestored, Blu-ray: restored) * DVD - Looney Tunes Golden Collection: Volume 4, Disc 1 * Blu-ray, DVD - Looney Tunes Platinum Collection: Volume 1, Disc 1 * Blu-ray - Robin and the 7 Hoods (bonus feature; restored) * DVD - Looney Tunes Parodies Collection Censorship The ABC version of this cartoon cut two scenes:http://www.intanibase.com/gac/looneytunes/censored-q-r.aspx * The part after The Sheriff of Nottingham is duped into building a house in the King's garden was edited to remove the part where The Sheriff gnashes his teeth (with carpenter nails in them) and shouts, "Oooh! I hate myself!" then hits himself over the head with the hammer several times while yelling, "I do, I do, I do!" * The infamous "knighting scene" (where Bugs bashes the Sheriff over the head several times with a scepter) was drastically cut short so Bugs only bashes the Sheriff over the head once, making his "Got lotsa stamina" line inexplicable. Notes * Errol Flynn received a personal copy of this film in exchange for the right to use his earlier live-action footage. * This cartoon is the origin of the infamous "knighting" exchange, where Bugs Bunny is dressed up like a king, and proceeds to brain the Sheriff with his sceptre while dispensing an oddball title with each strike: *:Sheriff: Your most gracious majesty. *bows* *:Bugs: In the name of my most royal majesty, I knight thee. *strikes Sheriff over the head with his sceptre* “Arise, Sir Loin of Beef!” *strike* *:“Arise, Earl of Cloves!” *strike* *:“Arise, Duke of Brittingham!” *strike* *:“Arise, Baron of Münchhausen!” *strike* *:“Arise, Essence of Myrrh!” *strike* *:“Milk of Magnesia” *strike* *:“Quarter of Ten” *strike* *:Sheriff: (dazed, slurred) “You are too kind, your majesty.” *:Bugs: (to audience) “Got lots of stamina!” References External Links Rabbit Hood at SuperCartoons.net Rabbit Hood at B99.TV Category:Bugs Bunny Cartoons Category:Shorts Category:Merrie Melodies Shorts Category:1949 Category:Blue Ribbon reissues Category:Cartoons directed by Chuck Jones Category:Bugs Bunny Chuck Jones Category:Cartoons written by Michael Maltese Category:Cartoons with music by Carl W. Stalling Category:Cartoons with layouts by Robert Gribbroek Category:Cartoons with backgrounds by Peter Alvarado Category:Cartoons with film editing by Treg Brown Category:Cartoons with sound effects edited by Treg Brown Category:Cartoons with orchestrations by Milt Franklyn Category:Cartoons with characters voiced by Mel Blanc Category:Cartoons produced by Eddie Selzer Category:Re-released cartoons whose original titles are known to exist